Hood catch



W. D. YOUNG Dec. 1930.

Hoon CATCH Filed Nov. 14. 1928 l n INVENTOR ZfYzZyOzz/zg ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 9, 1930 PATENT OFFICE WALTER D. YOUNG, F FLINT, MICHIGAN HOOD CATCH Application illed November 14, 1928. Serial No. 319,342.

This invention relates tohood latches of the general type employed in connection with motor vehicles for holding the hood in closed position and to prevent rattling of the same 1n use, the principal object being the provision of a novel construction that will be simple in design, efficient in use, and economical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a hood catch construction provided with a handle portion which tends to disconnect the catch from a fixed member when lifted, and to connect the catch to a fixed member when moved down-4 wardly toward the fixed member.

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consist in certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and then claimed, hav ing the above and other objects in view.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention, and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several dierent views;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a hood and frame member of a motor vehicle showing the hood catch in operative position with respect thereto, the view being taken from the inside of the hood and showing the catch in latched position.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the catch shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the exception that the catch is shown in the posi tion that it assumes at the moment that it is about to be disengaged from its co-operating fixed member, or is about to'engage the same. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the lower end of the` latch member showing the manner in which it is formed, and the manner in which it (io-operates with the fixed keeper member.

The present invention is of the general tvpc disclosed in the applications for Letters Patent of the United States for improwments in hood catches filed by Ray H. Davis on Se 7 tember 26th, 1927, and September 29th, 192%, and serially numbered 221,875 and 222,774 respectively, and constitutes an improvement of the constructions therein disclosed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a hood side member 10 is shown terminating in adjacent and spaced relationship with respect to the upper face of the frame side member 11. The frame side member 11 has secured thereto by screws such as 12, or other suitable means, a fixed keeper member 13 terminating at its upper end in an inturned lip or flange 14. Secured to the hood side member or panel- 10 by rivets 15, or other suitable means, is what I prefer to call a base 16, the central portion of which is positioned in slightly spaced relationship with respect to the inner surface of the panel 10 as indicated at 17. The upper end of the portion 16 is provided with a slotted opening 18 in which the offset end 19 of the support member 20 is received in such a manner as to Vpermit the support member 20 to pivot towards and away from the inner face of the panel 10 about the opening 18. The support member 20 extends downwardly from the opening 18 and at its lower end is provided with a laterally projecting portion. 21 on either side thereof. Each portion 21 is'provided with an opening 22, and extending through each of the openings 22 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the base 16 is a stud member 23 which is staked or otherwise satisfactorily held in the base member 16.

Inwardly of the member 20 a coil spring 24 surrounds each stud 23 and is held under compression between the inner face of the member 20 and the head of the stud 23. These springs thus urge the member 20 towards contacting relationship with the base 16. The member 20 has secured thereto by any suitable means, such as by staking as illustrated in Fig. 5, a channel shaped member 25 which co-operates with the member 20 to form an elongated box-like structure open at its top and bottom.

lVithin the channel 25 a bolt member 26 is sliflably retained and guided for vertical movement. The bolt member 26 is shown as formed of sheet metal into a channel section opening on the side adjacent the support 20, and the upper' end of the same is closed by an end wall 27 which is formed by bending a portionof the metal over at this point.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a portion of the support 20 is bent inwardly to form a tongue-like portion 28 which is freely received within the channel of the bolt 26, and retained under compression between the tongue 28 and the end 27 of the bolt 26 is a coil spring 29 which constantly urges the bolt 26 upwardly relative to the panel 10. The lower end of the bolt 26 is notched on its outer face as at 30, and a portion of the metal displaced in the notching operation is bent over laterally as indicated at 31 in Fig.

6 to provide a face or flange adapted to en-` gage the fiange 14 of the member 13 fixed to the frame 11.

Pivotally supported in the bolt 26 on the horizontal pin 32 disposed in parallel relationship to the hood member 33 which projects out through the opening 34 in the panel member; and which opening 34 may be finished ofi' by an escutcheon plate such as 35. The handle member 33 is provided with a downwardly extending portion 36 which lies within the channel of the bolt 26 and extends downwardly below the face portions 31, but at this point, is of less width than the depth of the channel.

The o eration of the above construction will be o vious. With the catch in operative position with respect to the member 13 the flanges 31 of the bolt lie under the flange 14 with the lower edge of the hood panel 10 contacting against the fabric or other facing strip 38 preferably carried by the fixed member 13. When the parts are in this position, the outer edge of the portion 36 of the handle 33 lies in contact with the inner edges of the flange portion 14 and the lower end of the bolt 26 has been forced inwardly along with the lower end of the support 20 against the tension of the springs 24. The spring 29 is likewise in compressed condition. The result is that the tension of the spring 29 tends to pull the panel 10 downwardly and the tension of the springs 24 tend to move the lower end of the panel inwardly, thus preventing the same from rattling against the fixed support 13.

' When it is desired to unlatch the hood, the free end of the handle 33 is grasped and is lifted upwardly. This tends to rotate the handle 33 about the pin 32 and causes the lower end 36 of the handle 33 to push against the iange 14 and force the lower end of the boltV 26 inwardly with respect to the fixed member 13 until the flanges 31 clear the inner edge of theflange 14, as is illustrated in Fig. 4. Vhen this occurs, the tension of the spring 29 causes the bolt 26 to slide upwardly in the channel 25 until the upper edge of the anel 10 is a handle' handle 33 contacts against the upper edge of the opening 34, or escutcheon plate 35, as the case may be, which thereafter limits further upper movement of the bolt 26. The catch mechanism assumes the positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 when this occurs, and the hood panel 10 is then free to be either lifted upwardly or swung outwardly, or both.

When it is desired to latch the hood, the panel is rested against the strip 38 and manual pressure is applied in a downwardly direction to the handle 33. In so doing the inner edge of the portion 36 of the handle contacts against the back of the channel shaped bolt 26 which limits further pivotal movement of the handle 33 with respect to the bolt in that direction, and the bolt 26 thereafter moves down as a unit with the handle 33 until the lower end of the bolt 26 contacts against the upper surface of the fiange 14. The upper face of the flange 14 is preferably inclined downwardly and inwardly, and the end surface of the bolt 16 is preferably curved as at 39, and these two surfaces cooperate during downward movement of the` bolts 26 to force the inner end of the bolt 26 inwardly against the press'ure of the springs 24 until the flanges 31 pass below the fiange 14. lVhen this occurs the springs 24 draw the flange 31 under the flange 14, thus locking the bolt in lowered position, and the pressure on the handle 33 may then be relieved.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit or substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

lfVhat I claim is:

l. A catch of the class described comprising, in combination, a support adapted to be secured to a movable panel, a guide member pivotally secured to said support, Ya slidable bolt carried by said guide member, spring means constantly urging said bolt in one direction with respect to said guide member, spring means constantly urging said guide member in one direction relative to said support, a handle carried by said bolt, and a fixed member engageable by said bolt.

2. A catch of the class described comprising, in combination, a support adapted to be fixed to a movable panel, a guide member pivotally mounted on said support, a laterally acting spring constantly urging said guide member towards said support, a bolt slidable in said guide member. spring means urging said holt towards raised position, a fixed member engageable by said bolt when in lowered position, and a handle for controlling said bolt.v

3. A catch of the classl described comprising. in combination, a member adapted to be fixed to a hood panel, a guide supported from said member for pivotal movement towards and away from said panel, spring means constantly urging said guide towards said panel, a bolt guided Vfor slidable movement in said guide member, spring means constantly urging said bolt in one direction, a fixed member adapted for releasable engagement with said bolt, a handle pivotally mounted on said bolt, and means carried by said handle co-operable with said fixed member to move said guide and bolt away from said panel against the pressure of thefirst mentioned spring means.

4. A catch of the class described comprising. in combination, a support adapted to be fixed to ahood panel and provided with an opening therein, a guide member provided with an off-set portion received in said opening and confined to swingable movementJ relative thereto towards and away from said panel, spring means constantly urging said guide member towards saidliood, a boltfslidably guided in said guide member and resiliently urged in one direction, a fixed lnember engageable by said bolt, and a handle for controlling the slidable position of said bolt and the swingable position of said guide member.

5. A catch of the class described comprising, in combination, a support adapted to be fixed to a hood panel, a guide member pivotally mounted on said support for swinging movement towards and away from Said support, a post carried by said support projecting' through said guide member, a coil .spring surrounding said post and bearing against said guide member to constantly urge it towards said support, a bolt slidable in said guide member, spring means constantly urging said bolt in one direction relative to said guide member, a fixed member engageable by said bolt, and a ha'ndle carried by said bolt for controlling?r its engagement with said fixed member.

6. In a device of the type described, a member adapted to be fixed to.a hood panel, a guide supported thereon for pivotal movement` a spring pressed bolt slidably carried by said guide. and a keeper adapted to be `fixed relative to a frame member engageable by said bolt, said keeper being provided with a flange and said bolt being provided with a ange co-operable therewith, said bolt being,r formed of sheet metal into a channel section and having at least one of the free edges thereof notched and a portion of the metal displaced by the notch bent over laterally to form the last mentioned flange.

iVALTER' D. YOUNG. 

